Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Danish Hazelnut Butter Cookies Two Ways

After a welcome respite from hosting Thanksgiving, my husband and I have the house and yard decorated and now I'm ready to start baking for Christmas! The first new recipe I wanted to try were these flaky and delicate Danish Hazelnut Butter Cookies from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book.

Filled with toasted and ground hazelnuts, I topped each cookie with a whole hazelnut before baking, because I LOVE hazelnuts. Not to worry if hazelnuts aren't your thing. You could easily substitute pecans or almonds in this recipe with great results.

Never one to leave a good thing alone, I was inspired by some thumbprint cookies I had seen on Pinterest and decided to try the idea with the same hazelnut cookie dough and created Hazelnut Caramel and Chocolate Cookies. A marriage made in cookie heaven! You will find instructions for both variations below.

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas! We had our first measurable snowfall early this week. Even though much of has melted already, I couldn't help snap a few shots while the tree limbs were coated with pristine, white snow in the evening.

Have you done any holiday baking yet? What is your favorite Christmas cookie recipe?

Danish Hazelnut Butter Cookies

Preheat
oven to 300F to toast the nuts. Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet
and bake for about 8-10 minutes until fragrant and toasted. Allow to
cool and place in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground, being
careful not to turn the nuts into a paste.

In a large mixing
bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until blended. Add
the egg and mix until light and fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder
and chopped hazelnuts and mix just until incorporated. Gather dough
together and place in a smaller bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and
refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400F.

Place parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on a large, rimmed baking sheet.

Shape
dough into balls about the size of small walnuts and place on prepared
baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Press tops of cookies with a fork,
making a criss-cross pattern. Top each with a whole hazelnut, if
desired.

Roll
chilled dough into 1" balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Using
your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each piece of dough.

Bake
for about 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and,
using the back of a round, 1 teaspoon measuring spoon, press lightly
into each indentation in cookie, being careful not to break cookie.
Cool completely.

To Make Caramel Filling:

14 Vanilla Caramels, unwrapped
2 Tablespoons heavy (double) cream

In
a small saucepan, melt caramels and cream together over low heat,
stirring frequently, until smooth. Spoon about a teaspoon of caramel
mixture into the center of each cookie. Cool completely.

To Make Chocolate Drizzle:

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1 teaspoon shortening or butter

Microwave
for 30 second intervals until just melted, stirring after each
interval. Allow to cool slightly and pour into a small pastry bag fitted
with a tip with small round hole and pipe back and forth onto cooled
cookies. Allow chocolate to cool completely. Refrigerating cookies
will help the chocolate to set.

There's nothing prettier than the first snow, is there? I miss that, but not all the days that follow. I do wish, however, we'd get a touch of cool. Not a lot, just a bit.Loving your cookies...now that my family is scattered, I don't make as many holiday cookies, except as gifts. The only ones I've made so far this year are the chocolate vanilla swirls I posted a long while back. My kids really love them and they insist upon chocolate as an ingredient. There's a bunch in the freezer right now.I am making some savory crackers tomorrow for my book group Christmas party. Ina's, of course. :)

The weather forecast is saying we may get several days of snow through the weekend and beyond! I don't bake nearly as much as I used to where our girls were living at home, Barbara, but I love having Christmas treats for our grandsons. I'm going to come over and find those swirl cookies, Barbara. Thanks!

I love this post!I have always loved your mini house..looks like an artist's studio:)And since you are an artist..how fitting.I especially love it this time of year..uncanny I made some thumbprints this morning..then we went to Costco..and so contray to the spirit of Christmas..the basket was filled with things Jacques could not resist..after all this is the holiday he anticipates every year..and we bought tourtières fixin's..Your snowmen are cute cute..the boys cute cute and cute..and the cookies look delish.

We love our mini too, Monique. We spotlight the door all year to brighten the dark yard but during the holidays there's a wreath on the door that the big tree is hiding. Too bad it's not heated, it would be a fun artist's retreat :) We have a trip to Costco planned for tomorrow and I love that John enjoys shopping there with me too ♥ I would have loved seeing what was in your cart :)

But that's why you live there ;) I'm sure it's the only time of year you would like it, honestly, but it is pretty to look at during the holidays. Hope you enjoy the cookies, Cheri! If you like hazelnuts I think you will :) Thank you!

What beautiful photos! All cookies are my favorite. I love anything with chocolate but sometimes I yearn for an old fashioned shortbread. And these butter cookies would make my list, too! Hope you have a wonderful holiday Susan!

I loved everything about this post, it gave me a real smile. Great sounding cookies and wonderful photos. After having lived in New Hampshire for so long and dealing with lots of snow I think that is the perfect amount…makes everything look so pretty.

I usually put jam in my thumbprint cookies, but I'll try the caramel next time. We got our first taste of snow yesterday. My area doesn't do well in bad weather. Everybody panics and the roads are a mess. It's a good time to stay home and bake cookies. Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year, Susan.

Susan, thank you for sharing those delicious-looking cookie recipes! I love traditional shortbread cookies or spice cookies and my kids love anything with chocolate chips :) Your yard looks dreamy covered in all that snow! I need to get my kids to some snow sometime in the near future, they've never seen it!

As I type this, our schools are closed today due a measurable snowfall and my husband is a happy camper :-) The snow came during the night and it is so pretty outside right now. Love your little house Susan. It's time to get my snowmen out and bake some cookies :-)

Love these cookies! But I love most of all your beautiful photos of the snow outside and your Christmas ornament of your grandchildren. I too have a collection of photo ornaments of my grandkids - we treasure those every year. Have a great week Sue!!

Yes, cookie time for sure and I'm about through with it for the season, just might have to make this one. They look delicious, Susan! I don't think I've ever had a hazelnut cookie, a new one for me. Thanks for the recipe and take care.

I wanted to make some thumbprint cookies this year and lost track of time, but I'm certainly saving this hazelnut with caramel recipe for next year's new recipe to try. Your photos are SO pretty and festive! You've got the shutterbug talent! Happy 2017 Susan!

I appreciate your comments! I turned off Anonymous comments due to spam. If you need to contact me regarding a recipe, please use my email address found under About Me in the tool bar at the top of the page.